Closure member locking means



Nov. 1s, 1941. Q E, LQFGEN y 2,263,180

CLOSURE MEMBER LOCKING MEANS Fil'ed Deo. 1o, 1937 MATTO E Patented Nov. 18, 1941 CLOSURE MEMBER. LOCKING MEANS Gustaf Einar Lofgren, Riverside, Conn., assigner to Electrolux Corporation, Dover, poration of Delaware Del., a cor- Application December 10, 1937, Serial No. 179,068

8 Claims.

This application is a continuation in part of my co-pending application, Serial No. 87,125 led June 25, 1936, now Letters Patent No. 2,112,372, dated March 29, 1938.

My invention relates to closure members and more particularly to means for securing a closure member in place. p

An object of my invention is to provide a new and improved means for removably securing a closure member in place. In accordance with myv invention, the closure member maybe removed by a simple natural movement of a single operating handle. The Iclosure member is moved in the same general direction for removing or replacing it as the handle is moved for releasing or closing, respectively, the securing means.

Another object of my invention is to provide a toggle mechanism for holding the securing means in open or closed position depending upon whether the operating handle is in the open or closed position. y

A still further object of my invention is to provide a locking mechanism for a closure member which will accurately position the closure member and securely hold it in position. What I consider to be novel and my invention may be better understood by reference to the following speciication and appended claims when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side-sectional View of a casing with my improved closure member, taken along the lines I--Iof Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is4 anend sectional view of the closureA member with detents in engagement with bosses of the casing, taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. L1; Fig. 3 is a sectional view, taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view, taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; t

` Fig. 5 is a' sectional view similar to Fig. l except with the handle in the open position; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional View similar to Fig. 2 except With the detent in retracted position.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, a casing I0 has an end opening II in a vertical side or end Wall I2 which is covered by `a removable closure member I3. A ring I4 ismounted in opening II with an inwardly extending flange I5 carrying a compressible gasket I6. A back plate I'I of closure memberl3 covers ring I4 and engages the gasket I6.

For positioning the closure member I3 on the opening II, .ring I4 is provided 'with forwardly extending bosses I8 which enter boss receiving 55 I8.

openings I9 formed `by inwardly extending flanges 20 of the back plate I1. The bosses I8 are formed integrally with the ring I4 and are located at opposite sides of the opening II. When the closure member I 3 is positioned on the ring I4, the top, horizontal portions of flanges 20 rest in engagement with the top surfaces of bosses I8. Bosses I8 are provided with inwardly opening pockets 2I which are adapted to receive detents 22 carried by pivoted ngers 23` for securing the closure member I3 tothe casing I0. Fingers 23 are pivotally secured to the back plate II on a plane surface by means of pivot pins 24. Located 'within the pocket 2| of boss I8 is 'a spring 25for resilient engagement with detent 22 having a straight portion 26 which is inclined to the plane of movement of detent 22, as best indicated in Fig. 4.. 'Ihe plane of movement of detent 22 is determined by the large plane surface of back plate I'I upon which it rests. Engagement between the detent 22 and the straight portion 26 of spring 25 produces a force tending to compress the gasket I6 and position the closure member I3, as will be pointed out below.

Fingers 23 are provided with pinion teeth 2'I which are engaged by a reciprocal rack bar 28. Rack bar 28 is providedl with slots 29 which are engaged by headed pins 30 secured to the back 4 plate I'I. When the rack bar 28 is moved upwardly from the position indicated in Fig. 2, the lingers 23 are rotated from the substantially horizontal position approximately degrees to a substantially vertical position as indicated in Fig. 6. As the fingers 23 are rotated, the detents 22 are moved out from engagement with the bosses I8 releasing the securing means of closure member I3 from engagement with the' casing I0. When ther rack 28 is moved downwardly from the position indicated in Fig. 6, the ngers 23k are rotated from the substantially vertical position to the substantially horizontal position with the detents 22 extending into the pockets 2I of bosses I8 in engagement with spring 25.

` The rack and pinion securing mechanism with the ngers 23 pivoted closely. adjacent to the outer edgeof the closure member I3 with a pinion of `short radius makes it possible to obtain a large amplitude of movement of the lingers 23 with a relatively small reciprocal movement of the rack 28. Also this makes possible a short detent 22 which maybe accurately positioned on the plane surface of back plate I'I and will not bend readily4 producing a misalignment with the detent receiving openings or pockets ZI of bosses For operating the securing mechanism, a turn block 3| is provided with a handle 32 extending through an opening 33 provided in a cover 34. Turn block 3| is pivoted on back plate |1 for movement in a plane at right angles to rack 28 and on an axis perpendicular to the axis of rotation of fingers 23 by means of a pivot pin 35 carried in lugs 38. Turn block 3| carries a pin 31 which engages in slots 38 of ears 39 provided on the rack bar 28. The pin and slot connection between the turn block 3| and the rack 28 converts the rotary motion of the turn block to reciprocal motion of the rack bar 28.

For holding the turn block 3| in either of its two extreme positions, toggle mechanism is provided and connected between the turn block 3| and the back plate I1. Toggle mechanism 40 consists of a link 4| pivotally connected to back plate I1 and a link 42 carried by turn block 3|. Link 4| has a tongue 43 which overlies a corresponding tongue 44 of link 42. Tongues 4 3 and 44 are jointly surrounded by a helical spring 45. Link 4| is pivotally connected to back plate I1 by pin v4o"and link 42 is pivotally connected to turn block 3| by a pin 41. When the turn block 3| is in the position indicated in Fig. 1, which may be termed the "closed position, the spring 45 produces a force tending to move the links 42 and 4I away from each other and to rotate the turn block 3| in a clockwise direction. Through the pin and slot connection between the turn block 3| and the rack bar 28 this force holds the rack bar in engagement with stop shoulders 48 provided on the lugs 36.

When the turn block 3| is moved in a counter clockwise direction by means of the handle 32 from the position as indicated in Fig. 1, the spring 45 is compressed until the toggle mechanism 40 passes through dead center, that is the position when the pins 48 and 41 and 35 are in a straight line. Upon continued movement in a clockwise direction past dead center, the spring 45 produces a force in a direction to assist in rotating the turn block 3| in a counter clockwise direction. When the turn block 3| has reached the position indicated in Fig. 6, which is termed the open position, further movement is stopped by engagement of the rack bar 28 with stop shoulders 49 of lugs 36.

When the turny block 3| and handle 32 are in the closed position of Fig. 1, the rack bar 28 and fingers 23 are in the position indicated in Fig. 2 with the detents extending into the pockets 2| of bosses I8 and engaging the springsY 25. When the turn block 3| and handle 32 are in the position indicated in Fig. 5, the open position, the rack 28 and ngers 23 are in the position indicated in Fig. 6. In this position detent 22 is retracted from engagement with the boss I8.

Assuming the closure member I3 to be secured in position covering the opening of casing I0, vas indicated in Fig. 1, it may be removed as follows:

The handle 32 is grasped and moved in a direction away from the back plate I1 and the cover 34 rotating the turn block 3| in a counter clockwise direction against the bias of spring 45 of toggle mechanism 40. As the turn block 3| is rotated in this direction, the pin 31 carried thereby moves the rack 28 upwardly. Movement of the rack bar 28A in this direction rotates the ngers 23, moving the detentsy 22 downwardly and out from the pockets 2l of the bosses I8. When the detents 22 are entirely disengaged from the bosses I8 and movement of the rack 28 is stopped by its engagement with stop shoulders 49, further movement of the hand grasping the handle 32 in the same general direction in which it has been moved to release the securing means will remove the closure member I3 from the casing IIJ. The turn block 3| and handle 32 are held in the open position by the toggle mechanism 40 which maintains the detents 22 in a substantially vertical position. This prevents the fingers 23 from moving to an intermediate position with the detents 22 extending outwardly where they might be damaged upon the placing of the closure member I3 on the casing I0.

When it is desired to replace the closure member I3 on the casing I0, the procedure is as follows:

The handle 32 which is in the open position as indicated in Fig. 5, or if not in this position must be moved to this position, is grasped by the hand. The closure member I3 is then moved toward and positioned over the opening with the bosses I8 entering the boss receiving openings 28. The closure member I3 is allowed to rest with the tops of anges 20 on the top surfaces of bosses I8. The force of gravity resulting from the weight of the closure member I3 will hold it in this position on the bosses i8. Further movement of the hand grasping the handle 32 in the general direction in which it is moved in placing the closure member I3 over the opening I| will move the handle 32 toward the cover 34 rotating the turn block 3| in a clockwise direction against the bias of the spring 45 of toggle mechanism 48. Rotation of turn block 3| in a clockwise direction will cause the pin 31 to move the rack bar 28 downwardly. The fingers 23 will be rotated with the detents 22 entering the bossesv I8 and engaging the spring 25. As the detent 22 enters the boss I8, it moves upwardly in engagement with the inclined portion 26 of spring 25. Since this portion 26 is inclined inwardly toward the ring I4 from the bottom of boss I8, the detent 22 in moving upwardly displaces the spring 25 outwardly from the ring I4. This produces a force with one component normal to the plane of movement of detent 22 in a direction to compress the gasket i6 and so provide a tight seal between the opening `II and the closure member I3. A second component of this force is in the plane of movement of the detent 22 and in a downward direction. This second component of force is in the same direction as the force of gravity holding the closure member I3 with the top anges 2U resting on the top surfaces of bosses I8. In this manner an easy and accurate positioning of the closure member I3 on the opening II is assured.

When the handle 32 is moved to the fully closed position the toggle mechanism 40 holds the rack 28 against the stop shoulders 48 and so maintains the detents 22 in closure engaging position. The force produced by the spring 45 of toggle mechanism 40 overcomes the force of springs 25 tending to move the detents 22 downwardly out of the bosses I8. The positioning of the closure member I3 on the opening II is determined by bosses I8 and the springs 25 and the closure member I3 is locked thereby by the toggle mechanism 40.

What I claim is:

1. A locking mechanism for a closure member including a plate having boss receiving openings, bosses entering said openings, pivoted ngers secured to said plate having detents adapted to enter side openings in said bosses, pinion teeth on turn block engaging said rack, a toggle mecha-y nism connected between said turn block and said plate, and Astop shoulders engaged by said rack for limiting the movement of the rack in both directions, said toggle mechanism holdingfsaid` detents in the open or closed position depending upon the position of said handle.

3. A locking mechanism for a closure member including a plate having boss receiving openings, bosses entering said openings, lingers pivotally secured to said plate having detents adapted to move upwardly into closure engaging position with said bosses and downwardly to retracted position, mechanism for rotating said ngers, and springs located in said bosses having surfaces inclined inwardly to the top of the bosses, said fingers engaging said inclined surfaces of said springs upon movement toward closure engaging position and adapted to displace said springs outwardly, whereby a force is produced holding said closure member with the top of the boss receiving openings of said plate engaging the top surfaces ofsaid bosses.

. 4. A locking mechanism for a closure member including a plate, a plurality of detents pivotally mounted on said plate and formed with pinion teeth, a rack member slidably mounted ron said closure member engaging the pinion teeth of said detents, a handle pivotally mounted on said closure member, and a pin and slot connection between said handle and said rack member for converting rotary motion in the former to `straight line motion in the latter. f

5. A locking mechanism for a closure member including a plate having boss receiving openings,

ly from. engagement with said bosses and upon movement in the opposite direction to move said detents upwardly into engagement with said bosses, springs located in said bosses having surfaces inclined inwardly from the bottom to the top of said bosses producing a force upon engagement by said detents holding said closure member in position resting on the tops of said bosses, a handle pivotally ysecured to said plate and engaging said rack, and a toggle mechanism connected between said handle and said plate for holding said detents in closure engaging position or in retracted position depending upon the posis tion of said handle.

6. `A locking mechanism for a closure member including a plate having boss receiving openings,

ybosses entering said openings having pockets opening toward the center of the plate, lingers pivotally mounted on said plate adjacent the edges thereof, said fingers includingr detents adapted to engage said bosses, pinion teeth carried by said fingers, a sliding rack engaging said pinion' teeth, and a handle engaging said rack for moving said `detents into and out of engagement with said bosses.

'7. A locking mechanism for a closure member including a plate having boss receiving openings, bosses entering said openings, said plate resting in' a vertical plane on said bosses, iingers pivotally secured to said platev having detents adapted to move upwardly into a closure engaging position with said bosses, means for rotating said iingers,-and means located in said bosses having surfaces inclined inwardly to the tops of the bosses, said fingers engaging said inclined `surfaces upon movement toward a closure engaging position and adapted to produce a force in a direction to hold said plate in engagement with the top surfaces of said bosses.

8. A locking mechanism for a closure member including a plate having boss receiving openings, bosses entering said openings, fingers pivotally mounted on said plate adjacent the edges thereof, said ngers having detents adapted to engage said bosses, pinion teeth carried by said lingers,

a sliding rack engaging said pinion teeth, and means to move said rack in one direction to move said detents into engagement with said bosses and in the opposite direction to retract said detents from said bosses.

GUSTAF EINAR. LOFGREN.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patentmo. 2,265,180. November 18, 19m.

GUSTAF EINAR LOFGREN.

l It is hereby certified that error' appear-s in the of theabove numbered patent requirin column,

the s printed specification line 59, claim )4, for` "closure member" read --plate--g and that aid Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the ease in the Patent Office signed ana Sealed this 5rd day of March, A. D. 19LL2.

Henry lVan Arsdale,

(Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

g correction as follows: Page 5, firstk 

